No second-fiddling from Kingswood in new schools season
by Hafiz Marikar
Kingswood College is one of the oldest cricket playing schools in the
country and this season field a well balanced side.
The Kingswoodians not only posses a solid batting lineup, but also a
penetrative bowling attack and they should be able to give the more
reputed cricket playing schools a run for their money. Most of the
present side play club cricket and have so far confronted Sri Sumangala
College Panadura, St.Sylvester's College and Sri Dharmaloka College
Kelaniya.
They were down to play St. Anthony's College on October 15 and 16 and
have matches against Debarawewa National School, Kegalu Vidyalaya, D.S.
Senanayake College and Vidyartha College before the year is out.
In 2016 their first game will be against St. Mary's Kegalle (January
14 and 15), Wesley College (21 and 22), St. Anne's College (28 and 29),
St. John's College Jaffna (Feb 4 and 5), Carey College (8 and 9), St.
John's College Panadura (18 and 19) followed by the big match against
Dharmaraja on March 18 and 19.
This season Kingswood is led by fifth year player Ruwantha
Hathurusinghe, a stylish left hand middle order batsman. His deputy is
Avishka Chandrasiri who too is a fifth year player and a right arm
paceman who can also strike the ball hard. Last season as a bowler he
pocketed over fifty wickets.
Then there is last year's captain Tharindu Liyanage a fifth year
player who bats left hand at number three. Shanuka Ratnayake is another
fifth year player and a fine left hand batsman in addition to his role
as wicket keeper.
Others in the side are Upamal Heenkenda a right hand opening batsman
with an array of strokes, Dilshan Walisundara a right hand middle order
batsman, Vimukthi Wijesiriwardene a right hand hard hitter and a left
arm leg-spinner and Yasod Kavinda who opens the bowling
Kingswood College has produced several cricketers who have brought
honour and fame to their Alma mater. The year 1962 was their finest in
which they won several matches and beat Trinity College for the first
time. The side was led by that famous sportsman Owen Mottau who later
represented Sri Lanka in rugby without playing for the school.
The others were SB Willawela, MH Marikar, D. Perera, Lionel Sirisena,
AHM Gazaly, A. Dodanwella, H. Perusinghe, SG Jayasundara, LJH de Silva,
S. Corteling, D. Mahindadasa and D.Aluwihare.
Maurice Fernando was the first 'Daily News' Schoolboy Cricketer from
Kingwood College.
This year they have got a fine coach in Indika Fernando, a product of
St. Anthony's College Katugastota and one of the finest cricketers to
come out of this school. He is doing his best to bring Kingswood cricket
to its glorious past. He has years of experience in the coaching field.
He was a top class all-rounder, batted right hand and bowled right arm
leg-spin.
He played for Kandy Cricket Club, Kandy Youth Sports Club and Old
Antonians and is a Level One and Two qualified coach.
Kingswood squad:
Ruwantha Hathurusinghe (captain), Avishka Chandrasiri (vice Ccptain),
Tharindu Liyanage, Meedum Weerasinghe, Upamal Heenkenda, Dilshan
Walisundara, Bimukthi Wijesiriwardene, Yasod Kavinda, G. Kamurugamuwa,
Salinda Dharmasena, Shanuka Ratnayake, Sharada Ranasinghe, Mahanama
Jayampathi, Hasitha Nawaratne, Rangana Ratnayake, Amila Jayaweera,
Thusitha Herath, Hasika Gamage, Deegaya Bandara, Binura Rajapakse, S
Piyasena and Dulin Wijenarayana with Sarath Ekanayake as MIC. |
